Mutton Bustin’

Fact is Summer’s winding down and it’s time to wrangle us some sheep, pardner. From time to time I find something that makes me question what, as a species, we think we’re doing. Anything we want with any critter? Apparently, pretty much. Let me introduce you to MUTTON BUSTIN’.

Here’s how it goes: you haul a few sheep that were, up until a few minutes ago, peacefully minding their own business in a field with their colleagues. You hustle them onto a noisy smelly truck for a trip to an even noisier, smellier rodeo arena. Or a half-cracked up one in someone’s yard. Then you herd the terrified sheep off the truck and stick them in a pen. You getting worried yet?

Now people are running around yelling and one by one you seem to be disappearing down a shute. But no one comes back. What’s going on here?

When it’s your turn you find yourself held against your will and somebody’s kid is dumped on top of you and the gate opens and this kid is snatching and pulling at your fleece trying to stay on. And you run like hell to get away from it all and get the kid off your back.

Welcome to the world of mutton bustin’. The latest craze for kids up to age 8, or 70 lbs., who have parents with too much money, and maybe a hole in their head. It’s a whole new way to build character. Toughen up. Stop that sniveling. Hey, but it’s fun. Right? For the sheep? Maybe not so much. Consider a 70 lb. kid on the back of a 100 lb. sheep. See a weight ratio problem? Or how about a 3 year old just on the edge of emerging from toddlerhood hurtling across a dirt ring trying not to snap a few bones. And where are the stats on the number of injured sheep or damaged-beyond-repair sheep?

Is this on the cutting edge of animal cruelty? And there’s some buzz around the ‘Net that it just might smack of child abuse too, judging from the number of injuries. And just so you know, the 4-H doesn’t sanction this stuff.

With clubs with names like “Spills and Spurs” springing up throughout the west and southwest, what was once a crazy barnyard “try anything once until you get caught” activity now has money and trophies riding on winning. FIBER ARTS will take a pass.

You want to teach a kid some manners with animals, and how to treat an animal with respect, gain some initiative and have something wonderful to show for it? 4-H can help with that. Growing up I learned to bake, raised some chickens and a couple of piglets and was completely proud of myself. No blood on the dirt and no one and nothing got hurt.

Absolutely appalling! Here’s something else: There are over 76,000 videos on youtube on this! How about some of these folks that have so much time on their hands to train their children for this kind of activity take that time and perhaps volunteer an an animal shelter or hospital or homeless shelter.